Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun

This is a story I would love to recommend because it is important and of great interest to our understanding of the recent history of China and because in its heart this book is a warning of how the state of a modern nation can destroy not just its people but the most talented of them, the problem for my lies in the way the story is related sometimes from a first person point of view, some from a manuscript, some as memories of different characters some as tales from a different period or almost like fables, add to that the constant references to music pieces, very specific musical pieces, with segway into Chinese pronunciation and many meanings of those sounds throughout the book and you have too many references that do not help the flow of the narrative.

When this book sticks to a voice it works and feels moving and interesting, but the magic is constantly broken by a need to show off intellectual superiority or linguistic gymnastics with words that sound like and the explanation of this oddities to the point confusion for non-speakers of the language ( if it does not add to the story take it out), I love the music she loves but I found myself looking for the references in my collection, again breaking my link to the story.

I wanted to like it, but the jumble of formats periods and information drowned the structure of the story and broke my feeling for the characters, in this tug of war for time and space in what should have been a great book all I could hear was a cacophony a dissonance.

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19 people found this helpful

Hauntingly brilliant

A writer of the first order, Madeleine Thien weaves an impossible and haunting story from China's recent past. The murderous events of 20th Century China are the soil from which she draws complex and loving characters with a deep love of classical music and Chinese classical writing, but the narrative embraces universal themes of honour, family and dogged survival. Beautifully read.

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1 person found this helpful

Magnificent

Extraordinary book, wonderfully read. This is a complex novel, written with such clarity and beauty that its multiple strands make complete, moving sense. The narrator convincingly conveys the essence of each character, handling gender, age and other differences with great skill. Apart from anything else, It is refreshing to hear Chinese names and vocabulary pronounced correctly, yet unobtrusively.

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A Very Difficult "Read."

Unbearably sad, made worse by the factual nature of the account. Brilliantly told and read.

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A beautiful, complex and tragic story

I found it tough to get into, but my mind wanders easily. But I am so glad I stuck with it. I am forever changed after reading this.

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heavy going!

struggled to stay with it ...I guess it was a good story etc but too laborious for me.

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15 people found this helpful

Moving and thought-provoking story.

A complex story that becomes easier to follow as the story unfolds.

It is long but the reader is ultimately rewarded. And when it finishes you wished it would have another chapter.

Beautifully written and superbly read.

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14 people found this helpful

An Epic Tale of the Cultural Revolution in China

Any additional comments?

I absolutely loved this book. It is an epic, sweeping tale of what it takes to preserve your sense of self, family loyalty, talents and treasured memories in the face of a cruel, insensitive, tyrannic ideology which demands subservience and the individual repression of personality and ambition for the good of Society. This novel traces the lives of three talented musicians and their families through the excesses and horrors of the Cultural Revolution, from its inception up until the political upheaval of the student demonstrations of 1989 in Tianenman Square. The story is set in China, Hong Kong and Canada and the difficulties of adjusting to life as an immigrant in a democratic society counterpointed with the experience of returning to your repressed, judgemental homeland are skillfully portrayed. The concepts of protest, challenging authority, taking personal risks, creativity and political dissent are also explored in a number of ways.
The novel is cleverly plotted, gradually revealing details (in a non-linear fashion which keeps the reader hooked) of the events which shape the destinies of the central characters. The cruelties and humiliations that many of the characters have to face are truly shocking, as is the fallout of events and actions which some of the characters are faced with. Communist China does not fare very well in this novelist's version of life under Chairman Mao and his successors.
Music and musicianship are at the centre of the story as is the notion of what is 'good' music and what is 'bad' music; what music is acceptable in Society and what is not. The music of Bach, particularly The Goldman Variations as played by Glenn Gould, is a recurring motif in the story.
The narration is excellent, well-paced and very sympathetic to the tone of the story.
I heartily recommend this book. It broke my heart in so many ways but left me positively glad for the ability people have to endure in the face of ghastly circumstances. Humanity and decency can triumph over tyranny and this, I believe, is the message which is central to a wonderful story.
Sit back and enjoy! A book for a long car journey or something similar, where you can concentrate and let yourself get lost in this very interesting period of history.

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16 people found this helpful

A long slog, but well worth it.

If this book sometimes seems a bit relentless, then that is a very good reflection of the relentlessness of Chinese communism over several decades.

The book is like a large and tightly woven tapestry and the reader expertly guides us through it with an even tone which could easily become monotonous but, for me, never did.

The book is very 'serious' and also very informative about what was. for me, an unknown world.

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A worthwhile investment

This is a book you need time to work through. Its narrative weaves through time and space. But stick with it - you will not be sorry.

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